To Be Or Not To Be...Inspired

Post by David Mead

On a recent flight, as I often do after I board a plane, I was looking out the window as the ground crew was hussling to get the flight ready for take off. I happened to zero in on the guy who was hurling bags onto the conveyor belt, which led to the belly of the plane.

As I looked at him and tried to imagine what his work day must be like, I couldn't help wondering if he would even care if the airline he works for had a Why - a higher cause or purpose meant to inspire employees and customers alike. I mean, it's not a glamorous job, he's out in the weather, rain or shine, there can't be many perks and there's a possibility he'd much rather be doing something else! I was sitting there thinking, would knowing the airline's Why really change the way he felt about his job?

This ate at me a bit because I spend my life preaching the belief that everyone deserves to wake up inspired to go to work and return home fulfilled by the work they do. Suddenly I was worried that this baggage guy was somehow exempt or that it didn't apply to him, simply because he has a job that most people wouldn't say they love or are inspired by.

I voiced my concern on a call with Simon and a couple of other team members to see what they thought. I mean come on, is a baggage handler at the airport really gonna get inspired by the airline's Why? Simon's answer was simple and powerful.

"Who are we to assume that he can't be inspired?" he said.

That doesn't mean he will be, but it's not our place to make that call. This is a lesson I will always keep with me. Let's not aim to inspire only those who we think will be inspired, or who have job titles we think have the possibility for inspiration. Rather, let's talk about what we believe to everyone and give everyone the opportunity to be inspired and become a part of something that matters. Because really, no matter what we do, we all want to feel like we're contributing to something. And that something may just look a little different to me than it does to you.

Comments

I agree with the post as well as the other comments on here. Inspiration and the process of being inspired is something that happenes individually within one's personal, individual mind. There is no general way to inspire someone. The same thing, words or action that might be inspiring to someone, may leave you completely unimpressed. Nothing wrong with that.

But it's therefore all the more important to have different sources of inspirations in this world, so that every person can be inspired on his or her personal way in life.

My 'WHY' is to make a positive contribution to social, academic and commercial discussions on mixed-race identity.
However, whilst I am throwing bags into the belly of the plane you may miss this important aspect about me.

I took a baggage handling job, at the airport, in May 2013. For the previous 7 years, I had self-funded a relative successful social enterprise for young people, called Mix-d: (pronounced mixed).
The main aim of my work was to make a positive contribution to social, academic and commercial discussions on mixed-race identity. The work was meaningful, varied and very creative.
It allowed me to make a positive contribution to many young people lives, to build my own brand and make a little history along the way.

After the recession hit, and work slowed down, I needed an income but not a new career. I needed a space where i could be busy, I could mentally re-group and begin my next venture. So I wrote down all the aspects of a job which would allow me to pay my bills, rebuild my brand and myself from the inside out.

They went as follows: I needed a job which allowed me to:

Work as part of a small team
Perform tasks which could be completed within an hour or by the end of each day
Wear a uniform and remove the need to search out different outfits each morning
Work in a changing environment - outside and away from artificial light
Do a physical job and get fitter rather than fatter
Work varied shifts so I could spend time more time with my kids,
A job to compliment my income in a non-office environment
Improve myself from the inside out
Create space in my day and remove stress
Challenge my notions of status
Have little or no responsibility

I have been working at the airport for three years, on a 20-hour contract, and I'm thankful that it helped me to reaffirm my 'Why'.

My 'WHY"

To make a positive contribution to social, academic and commercial discussions on mixed-race identity.

So far, I am proud to say that I have made a significant contribution to both social and academic discussions of mixed-race identity. Whilst working part-time at the airport, I have trained hundreds of professionals and carers to develop a deeper understanding of the key issues facing mixed-race children within foster-care and the education system.

My next 'WHY'

To develop the commercial arm of my brand, Mix-d: Hair. The UK's No.1 mixed-race hair care product, specifically formulated for mixed-race and curly hair. It is due for launch in January 2017.

I am a strong believer that we all know what we look like on the inside and only know what others look like from the outside.

I too, watch people getting on and off the plane. I often wonder if they are looking forward to the destination that they are heading towards. If they are enjoying their career, time with their family and if they have found their 'Why'.

And sometimes, I might catch the eye of a passenger watching me throw bags into the belly of the plane. When this happens, I wonder if they can see my fulfilment? Or how lucky I am to have a dream that is working in the background?

I am thankful for my job, and the opportunity to flourish, whilst I finesse my 'WHY'.

My 'WHY' is to make a positive contribution to social, academic and commercial discussions on mixed-race identity.
However, whilst I am throwing bags into the belly of the plane you may miss this important aspect about me.

I took a baggage handling job, at the airport, in May 2013. For the previous 7 years, I had self-funded a relative successful social enterprise for young people, called Mix-d: (pronounced mixed).
The main aim of my work was to make a positive contribution to social, academic and commercial discussions on mixed-race identity. The work was meaningful, varied and very creative.
It allowed me to make a positive contribution to many young people lives, to build my own brand and make a little history along the way.

After the recession hit, and work slowed down, I needed an income but not a new career. I needed a space where i could be busy, I could mentally re-group and begin my next venture. So I wrote down all the aspects of a job which would allow me to pay my bills, rebuild my brand and myself from the inside out.

They went as follows: I needed a job which allowed me to:

Work as part of a small team
Perform tasks which could be completed within an hour or by the end of each day
Wear a uniform and remove the need to search out different outfits each morning
Work in a changing environment - outside and away from artificial light
Do a physical job and get fitter rather than fatter
Work varied shifts so I could spend time more time with my kids,
A job to compliment my income in a non-office environment
Improve myself from the inside out
Create space in my day and remove stress
Challenge my notions of status
Have little or no resposibility

I have been working at the airport for three years, on a 20-hour contract, and I'm thankful that it helped me to reaffirm my 'Why'.

My 'WHY"

To make a positive contribution to social, academic and commercial discussions on mixed-race identity.

So far, I am proud to say that I have made a significant contribution to both social and academic discussions of mixed-race identity. Whilst working part-time at the airport, I have trained hundreds of professionals and carers to develop a deeper understanding of the key issues facing mixed-race children within foster-care and the education system.

My next 'WHY'

To develop the commercial arm of my brand, Mix-d: Hair. The UK's No.1 mixed-race hair care product, specifically formulated for mixed-race and curly hair. It is due for launch in January 2017.

I am a strong believer that we all know what we look like on the inside and only know what others look like from the outside.

I too, watch people getting on and off the plane. I often wonder if they are looking forward to the destination that they are heading towards. If they are enjoying their career, time with their family and if they have found their 'Why'.

And sometimes, I might catch the eye of a passenger watching me throw bags into the belly of the plane. When this happens, I wonder if they can see my fulfilment? Or how lucky I am to have a dream that is working in the background?

I am thankful for my job and the space it creates for me to flourish, whist I finesse my 'WHY'.

When I'm around people who think, or talk, this way about people who do the 'not so glamorous' jobs a like to inform them about a garbage man. No particular garbage man, I don't even know a garbage man, but who are we to say someone is uninspired or unsuccessful? For the story of this garbage man could be one great achievement. We don't know his story, where he came from or what sort of opportunity this was for him.

His vision, his why, his purpose could have solely been to contribute to the world in some way and provide for his family after been told he would amount to nothing, have nothing and be worthless.

We can't help judgement, it's human nature. But when we do judge lets take a step back, consider some understanding and take beauty in the thought that this person is where they want to be.

Years ago I worked in a fancy hotel. The man who cleaned the lobby and offices had worked there for decades and always had a smile on his face. One day I asked him how he did it, day after day and so cheerfully. He said the job made it possible for him to have a TV in every room of his home, and he got to take a month off each year due to all the vacation time he'd earned. It wouldn't have worked for me, but it worked for him.